Of Forgiving And Showing Gratitude
by Kamahontas
Summary: Takes place on the night of fighting with Rasputin. Later on that evening, as Anya and Dimitri are already in their hotel room.


"Anya, will you ever forgive me?" Dimitri asked sitting on a sofa in their hotel room, they rented for tonight. He couldn't look into her eyes. It was their first night they were to spend together, but he had one glass of wine too much. She noticed this and smiled a bit. So that's how he acts when drunk. She rather expected him to be horny, but Dimitri occurred to be a gentle and sensitive man.

"There is nothing that I should forgive you." She replied placing her hand upon Dimitri's shoulder.

"I used you, I hurt you, I caused you pain… For all this you should never want to talk to me, but instead you decided to spend the rest of your life with me…"

"Dimitri, you've showed me that all this was only a misunderstanding. You let me believe that you collected the reward, only because you wanted me to happy, even though it meant making you sad and hurt." He seemed so helpless right now, like he was suddenly someone else. Anastasia has never seen him in such a condition. She smiled tenderly at him, and sat next to him, putting her arms around his neck. "In all this scam, you tricked and hurt only one person – yourself. Please, don't think of it. I know, it was only today, but we already started something new, and the past doesn't count at all."

"Is there anything I can do for you to repay for all my unforgivable deeds?" He asked sadly, still not looking into her eyes.

"There are two things." She replied with a playful smile. "Firstly, take a cold shower; that will help you a lot. And secondly, please, look at me at last. It's a really strange feeling, knowing that you're paying more attention to this old carpet than me."

Dimitri began with fulfilling her second request. What she saw in his gaze, made her even more uncomfortable than a second before, because she could see all his pain, he had been hiding for last few days. She saw the fear of what happened on the Baltic Sea, and this endless surprise of realizing that she was the real thing. All this sorrow he felt knowing that they will have to be parted forever. And in the end, in Dimitri's eyes was this strange mixture of anxiety of the events from tonight and guilt he felt for what he had done by hiding from her that at first he wanted to bring her to Paris only to get the reward. All this almost brought tears to her eyes. So, he cared so much about her?

"Mitri…" She wanted to tell him how she feels about him, how much she loves him, but her voice got stuck in her throat. But she put herself together, and almost forced Dimitri to get up. She lead him to the bathroom and pushed the man into the shower. She didn't care he was fully dressed, his clothes weren't good for use anymore, anyway. The princess purred the coldest water she could set, straight on Dimitri's head.

"Now, when you'll feel better, just come to the bedroom, alright?" Without waiting for his reply, Anya left him alone. Maybe it wasn't the brightest idea, knowing Dimitri was drunk, but on the other hand she knew he needed to think a lot, and her presence would only disturb him.

Ten minutes later Anya was joined by Dimitri. He didn't look too happy. With his torn clothes still on, he looked pretty funny, but on his face he wore an angry frown.

"May I ask why Her Highness has left me there, under this ice-cold-shower?" He asked with this typical for him false irritation.

"For example to see this frown on your face, Dimitri." She laughed. "I much more prefer you scolding me every five minutes, than being so down for something we have already explained, and decided to leave behind us."

"Is that so?" He smiled a bit. "Well, the problem is, I have no reason to be mean for you. I even have no idea for harsh remarks about your brave mutt."

"Go back to the shower, Dimitri. You're still drunk." She pretended to be annoyed. "If you'd be sober, you wouldn't say that Pooka is brave. Well, sure I think he is, but for you he was always only an annoying mutt."

"Not anymore, Anya. Since that terrifying night on Tasha, I can't think of this pup as a mutt. Which doesn't change the fact that I will always call him with this term. If he wouldn't wake me up on time… God, I don't even wanna think what it would be… He saved your life, Anya. I wouldn't show up on the deck if Pooka wouldn't notice that you actually left the cabin. Well, I'll tell you the whole story, but at first I guess I should find something better than these torn rugs." He said looking around the room.

"I'd propose the pajamas you lent me three days ago." She said throwing the clothes at Dimitri. "And now, I'm going to take a shower. But maybe a bit warmer than yours." She giggled, and disappeared in the bathroom.

Dimitri quickly put on what his girlfriend gave him, and then sat in the armchair in the corner of the room. On the coffee table he found a newspaper, but it was in French, so he left it where it was. For a while Dimitri was just looking around the room, but soon his eyes landed on not fully closed door of the bathroom. Through the gap between the door and its frame, he saw Anya's reflection in the mirror. He wanted to look away, but he couldn't force himself to do this. There was something mesmerizing in her… For the very first time in his life he felt this way about seeing naked woman. Maybe because he never loved one before… Dimitri guessed that he shouldn't see Anya right now. Yet, he still couldn't look away. Only when she put on her nightgown, and started to dry her long curly hair with a towel, and seemed to be ready to enter the room, Dimitri instantly got up from the armchair and came to a window. He opened it, to catch some fresh air, to calm himself down. Too bad the night was so warm, he'd much more prefer to feel this chilly wind he liked so much in St. Petersburg. But here he was in Paris, and in the middle of Jun.

"Something interesting happening in the street?" Asked Anya, as she entered the room and saw Dimitri looking through the opened window.

"Oh… no…" He replied a bit confused. Dimitri turned over to face his girlfriend. "So, what we're gonna do with the rest of this nice evening?"

"Well, I think we had enough excitement as for one evening. So, if you have something on your mind…"

A devilish grin came across Dimitri's face.

"Have you ever played cards?"

"Only poker, to win my supper with the older boys. Since I was thirteen I've been losing only maybe twice a year, why? Wanna play?"

"Fine. But, I must warn you; I never lose."

"Sounds good to me. What we're gonna play for?"

"The one who will lose, will go with the mutt for a morning walk."

"Fine. Cards on the table, Maestro."

The table occurred to be a bit too small for their game, so they played on the bed. It passed a few hours, and for all the time it was Anya, who was the winner.

"Twice the royal poker, ten times a street and twice a fool. How did you do it?" Asked Dimitri still in a deep shock.

"Years of practice." She grinned. "When you have an empty stomach, you learn everything twice as fast, only to ease your hunger."

"I've never met a woman like you, Anya. You play poker, have the strength of ten men… What else are you hiding?" He didn't wait for her replay, and kissed her tenderly. As she didn't protest, but even returned the kiss, he held her tight. They started to toss on the bed, until they fell on the floor.

"Nice, Dimitri." Anya laughed, sitting back on the bed. "Look at this mess! Your cards are all around the room now. I'm not gonna collect them."

"Don't worry. Cleaning the mess and chaos in general is my profession. Palaces happen to have rather big kitchens, and making them clean after all day long of cooking is quite a challenge."

"How do you know?"

"Haven't I told you yet?! Well, I was this boy, the one, who opened the wall. Yes, Anya, that's how I knew you were not an imposter. When Sophie asked you about the siege of the palace, and how did you escape, I realized you were the real princess. I just was a coward and didn't tell you as soon as I had a chance for that. The last one I had before I went to talk to the Empress in the Opera, and when I was removed from there…"

"I didn't let you explain." Ended Anya acidly. "I'm sorry for that."

"I'd be very surprised if you'd want to listen to me after what you've heard."

"Even though, I feel kinda guilty… Not to mention that I feel terrible for slapping you…"

"We were to never go back that that evening…" He reminded her, putting his arm around Anastasia's shoulders. "Now, if we already settled who will be going out with Pooka in the morning… Any other propositions for tonight, or you're already tired enough to go to bed?"

"We are on the bed, Dimitri." She laughed.

"You know what I mean!"

"Of course, I do. I just wanted to tease with you." Grinned the girl and slipped under the covers. "By the way, remember that night. If you really never lost in a card game before, that was your very first time."

"Losing to you tastes like victory." He replied, sitting much closer to her, and pressed a tender kiss on her lips.

"Then, you should get your price now…" She replied cockishly as they broke the caress.

"What do you mean by that?" Asked Dimitri confused.

"I cannot believe that you don't know…" Said Anya looking deeply into his brown eyes. He saw the answer in Anastasia's gaze, yet he had some hesitations. Wasn't it too soon? Nonetheless they weren't even formally engaged yet.

"Anya…"

"What this time, Dimitri?" She asked a bit confused. "Something's wrong with me?"

"No! It's about me." He replied sadly.

She looked at him even more puzzled.

"What is it?"

"I don't want you to think that all I want is…"

"I'd never dare to think so. I know that it's only because you love me." She said, as she started to unbutton the upper part of his pajamas.

It was getting bright when they finally laid next to each other, happy to be so close.

"Anya, how's that possible? Last evening we almost got separated, later on we fought Rasputin, and now… It's beyond my perception."

"Well, actually it's kinda hard to believe for me too, but throughout our voyage I've learned that everything's possible."

"One more thing is intriguing me… Why you've done this?" He asked kissing her gently. "I mean…"

"You were to remind me, to thank you." She said with a smile, guessing what Dimitri was asking about. "So, let's say this is my way of showing gratitude."

"What for?"

"For saving my life and giving me everything I ever wanted."


End file.
